Cortascius
Cortascius (pronounced Korr-''tass''-us, IPA: kɔr-'tæs'-ʌs) is one of the major planets in the Abrujanian Divergency Event that defines the Dozerfleet Megaverse, residing in the Volkonir-Bison Universe. Its share of the Abdygalis is known as the EccentriaCore, and behaves in a similar manner to the Marlquaan in the Gerosha multiverse and the XomiaFaeCore in the Dromedeverse. The EccentriaCore is linked to the planet's core, and allows pseudo-magic to be possible in that universe. Of the interconnected Abrujanian Continuities of the Dozerfleet Megaverse, Cortascius ranks as a key alternate planet to Earth right alongside Phaeleel, Metheel, and Xomia. This excludes the non-Abrujanian timelines considered non-canon to that super-megaverse, such as the planets in Stationery Voyagers. History Pre-settling After the Divergence happened, one of the two FaeCores bonded with the core of the planet Cortascius, and disappeared into one of the timelines whilst not being copied over to any of the other main timelines. This FaeCore became known as the EccentriaCore, descended from the Abdygalis. Abrujanian historians were divided about the value of this: some believing it divine virtue that the Divergence happened whilst others believed that the Abdygalis should be re-forged from its descendant BEP and the timelines merged again by man rather than by God. The planet of Cortascius became a sort of parallel of Earth in a different star system, but with the EccentriaCore providing those who could tap into it with the ability to create wormholes to make the distances between Earth and Cortascius much shorter. The world was filled with many of the same lifeforms as Earth initially. However, the EccentriaCore began modifying plant life to depend more on EccentriaCore energy than solar energy, and also produced storm systems that limited the starlight getting through the atmosphere. As such, Cortascius often had short days and long evenings across its surface regardless of time of year - yet remained fairly warm. Most other conditions were Earth-like. It had no human population, yet the animal life adapted - some of it altered by the EccentriaCore. The Great Migration In addition to the EccentriaCore, the universe Cortascius became a part of also gained two key relics: the Gem of Mulicia on Earth and the Stone of Bovinil Peril on Cortascius. A band of Abrujanian historians gathered in Ireland to explore the Gem of Mulicia's effects on a hillside. After discovering its ability to transport objects, they gathered together themselves with several missionaries, Coptic Egyptians, and others from Europe who were looking for a fresh start. The Gem eventually allowed for these displaced settlers to arrive on Cortascius, where they formed a deeply religious, unified nation. For several generations, there was peace as they settled Cortascius. They learned of - and were exposed to - the effects of the EccentriaCore. This caused the early Cortascians to develop subtle elf-like features, along with other physiological alterations and enhancements from default humanity. Guindar rebellion Trouble brewed when the 15th Guindar Tribal Leader rebelled against the Cortascian Church. While the main Cortascian King Hasbirtral believed that the EccentriaCore's powers should only be used in limited context to aid the kingdom - or for God's glory - the Guindar leader declared that Abrujan was right to rebel, and that the EccentriaCore should be used by the Guindars to merge the timelines prematurely and rebuild the Abdygalis. Bitter civil war broke out over this religious conflict, and this led to misuse of the EccentriaCore by the Guindars to aid in their rebellion against the Cortascian main kingdom - which started referring to itself as the "Mighty Kingdom" to the Guindars' annoyance. This misuse led to the Guindars' subjects becoming mosquito-like in appearance, transforming them into the Gwirdons. This further led to a third tribe being turned against their will into the Lirquinwurs - who would be seen as outcasts to both Cortascians and Gwirdons alike. The Gwirdons were sometimes able to transform the higher-ranking and more-intelligent of their members into various EccentriaCore-empowered monstrosities to attack the Mighty Kingdom with. Regular Cortascian soldiers quickly found themselves exhausted battling these brutal onslaughts. The more-human-like Gwirdons became known as the Gwirdon Leaders, an elite sub-race within Gwirdon-kind. Their much-less-intelligent grunts were turned into foot soldiers dubbed "Treaders," who bred rapidly and became the first line of assault for the Gwirdon Kingdom. The 21st Gwirdon Supreme Leader, King Yugabod, realized that the war was proving costly for both sides. He elected to sue for a shaky peace between the Gwirdons and Cortascians, and King Homaphest of the Mighty Kingdom agreed. However, Yugabod was only buying time. Grinodos' failure See also: Grinodos, The Bison Rise of Gwirmalesh It was after the untimely death by disease of Yugabod's successor, King Thrutchigor, that Prince Gwirmalesh himself became the new king. Gwirmalesh decided to rebuild the armies of Gwirdonkind, and also began combining the EccentriaCore with his own dark arts. He began making preparations for the development of Gwirdon camps beneath the mountains of a place on Earth he had been made aware of, unaware it would one day be called Chestnut Mountain in Montana. His idea was that to truly conquer his own universe and then invade the other timelines via the Percolation Wave and fuse the timelines back into a single universe, he had to conquer both Earth and Cortascius together. Karlita mentioned it had ties to both early Ireland and the Coptic Egyptians of the First Century Church. However, Cortascius went a very different way a short time after the planet was founded and human civilization came in contact with the EccentriaCore of the planet. Notable residents Places of interest See also Category: Planets